The second question asks: Is the prostration for forgetfulness one prostration or two? Does the one who prays prostrate for forgetfulness in both the obligatory and voluntary prayers, or only in the obligatory prayer? And does he recite the tashahhud after the two prostrations, or does he conclude the prayer directly?
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The questioner : The second question asks: Is the prostration for forgetfulness one prostration or two? Does the one who prays prostrate for forgetfulness in both the obligatory and voluntary prayers, or only in the obligatory prayer? And does he recite the tashahhud after the two prostrations, or does he conclude the prayer directly?
The Shaykh : The prostration for forgetfulness consists of two prostrations, not one. It is performed in both the obligatory and voluntary prayers if its cause is present. The question is: Does it include the tashahhud or not? We say: If the prostration is before the taslim, there is no tashahhud in it. If it is after the taslim, then according to the stronger opinion, there is no tashahhud in it either; rather, it includes only the taslim. On this occasion, and because many people are ignorant of the rulings of the prostration for forgetfulness, I would like to point out some of its rulings. We say that the prostration for forgetfulness has three causes: addition, omission, and doubt. Addition is, for example, when a person adds a ruku' in his prayer, bowing twice in one rak'ah, or adds a prostration, prostrating three times, or adds a standing, standing for a fifth rak'ah in a four-rak'ah prayer, and then he remembers and returns. If the prostration for forgetfulness is for this reason, it is performed after the taslim, not before it. This means that you recite the tashahhud and conclude the prayer, then you prostrate twice and conclude the prayer. This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did when he prayed five rak'ahs; they reminded him after the taslim, so he prostrated after the taslim. It is not said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated after the taslim here out of necessity, because he did not know until after the taslim. It was so. However, we say: If the ruling differed from what he did, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would have told them: "If you know of the addition before you conclude the prayer, prostrate for it before the taslim." Since he approved the matter as it was, it is known that the prostration for forgetfulness for addition is performed after the taslim. This is indicated by the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he concluded the prayer from two rak'ahs of the Dhuhr or 'Asr prayer and they reminded him, completed his prayer, then concluded it, then prostrated twice, then concluded it. This is because the taslim in the middle of the prayer is an addition, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated for it after the taslim.
Just as this is the requirement of the athar, it is also the requirement of reasoning. If one adds to the prayer and we say he prostrates for forgetfulness before he concludes the prayer, there would be two additions in the prayer. If we say he prostrates after the taslim, there is only one addition that occurred due to forgetfulness.
The second cause of the prostration for forgetfulness is omission. In this case, the prostration is before the taslim. For example, if one stands up from the first tashahhud while forgetting, or if he forgets to say "Subhan Rabbi al-A'la" in the prostration, or forgets to say "Subhan Rabbi al-Azim" in the ruku', he prostrates before he concludes the prayer. This is because the prayer has been diminished by this omission, so the wisdom requires that he prostrate for forgetfulness before he concludes the prayer to make up for the omission before he leaves the prayer. The hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Buhaynah indicates this:.
As for the third cause, it is doubt: doubt about addition or omission, such as wondering whether he prayed four or three rak'ahs. This has two cases. The first case is when one of the two matters, either addition or omission, is more likely in his mind. He then acts according to what is more likely and prostrates for forgetfulness after the taslim, as in the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him): "If any one of you is in doubt in his prayer, let him seek the truth and act upon it, and let him prostrate twice after he has concluded the prayer". This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, or the meaning of it. If one is in doubt about addition or omission without one of the two sides being more likely in his mind, he acts according to certainty, which is the lesser number, then completes the prayer, then prostrates twice before he concludes the prayer. This is how the Sunnah came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is incumbent upon the imams specifically, and upon all people generally, to know the rulings of the prostration for forgetfulness so that when such matters occur to them, they are aware of their situation and prostrate for forgetfulness before the taslim if its place is before the taslim, or after it if its place is after the taslim.
The Shaykh : The prostration for forgetfulness consists of two prostrations, not one. It is performed in both the obligatory and voluntary prayers if its cause is present. The question is: Does it include the tashahhud or not? We say: If the prostration is before the taslim, there is no tashahhud in it. If it is after the taslim, then according to the stronger opinion, there is no tashahhud in it either; rather, it includes only the taslim. On this occasion, and because many people are ignorant of the rulings of the prostration for forgetfulness, I would like to point out some of its rulings. We say that the prostration for forgetfulness has three causes: addition, omission, and doubt. Addition is, for example, when a person adds a ruku' in his prayer, bowing twice in one rak'ah, or adds a prostration, prostrating three times, or adds a standing, standing for a fifth rak'ah in a four-rak'ah prayer, and then he remembers and returns. If the prostration for forgetfulness is for this reason, it is performed after the taslim, not before it. This means that you recite the tashahhud and conclude the prayer, then you prostrate twice and conclude the prayer. This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did when he prayed five rak'ahs; they reminded him after the taslim, so he prostrated after the taslim. It is not said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated after the taslim here out of necessity, because he did not know until after the taslim. It was so. However, we say: If the ruling differed from what he did, he (peace and blessings be upon him) would have told them: "If you know of the addition before you conclude the prayer, prostrate for it before the taslim." Since he approved the matter as it was, it is known that the prostration for forgetfulness for addition is performed after the taslim. This is indicated by the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when he concluded the prayer from two rak'ahs of the Dhuhr or 'Asr prayer and they reminded him, completed his prayer, then concluded it, then prostrated twice, then concluded it. This is because the taslim in the middle of the prayer is an addition, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated for it after the taslim.
Just as this is the requirement of the athar, it is also the requirement of reasoning. If one adds to the prayer and we say he prostrates for forgetfulness before he concludes the prayer, there would be two additions in the prayer. If we say he prostrates after the taslim, there is only one addition that occurred due to forgetfulness.
The second cause of the prostration for forgetfulness is omission. In this case, the prostration is before the taslim. For example, if one stands up from the first tashahhud while forgetting, or if he forgets to say "Subhan Rabbi al-A'la" in the prostration, or forgets to say "Subhan Rabbi al-Azim" in the ruku', he prostrates before he concludes the prayer. This is because the prayer has been diminished by this omission, so the wisdom requires that he prostrate for forgetfulness before he concludes the prayer to make up for the omission before he leaves the prayer. The hadith of 'Abdullah ibn Buhaynah indicates this:
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed Dhuhr with them and stood up from the two rak'ahs without sitting. When he finished the prayer and the people were waiting for him to conclude it, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said Allahu Akbar while sitting, then prostrated twice, then concluded the prayer.
أن الرسول عليه الصلاة والسلام صلى بهم الظهر فقام من الركعتين ولم يجلس، فلما قضى الصلاة وانتظر الناس تسليمه، كبّر صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو جالسٌ فسجد سجدتين ثم سلّمAs for the third cause, it is doubt: doubt about addition or omission, such as wondering whether he prayed four or three rak'ahs. This has two cases. The first case is when one of the two matters, either addition or omission, is more likely in his mind. He then acts according to what is more likely and prostrates for forgetfulness after the taslim, as in the hadith of Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him): "If any one of you is in doubt in his prayer, let him seek the truth and act upon it, and let him prostrate twice after he has concluded the prayer". This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, or the meaning of it. If one is in doubt about addition or omission without one of the two sides being more likely in his mind, he acts according to certainty, which is the lesser number, then completes the prayer, then prostrates twice before he concludes the prayer. This is how the Sunnah came from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It is incumbent upon the imams specifically, and upon all people generally, to know the rulings of the prostration for forgetfulness so that when such matters occur to them, they are aware of their situation and prostrate for forgetfulness before the taslim if its place is before the taslim, or after it if its place is after the taslim.